Volvo 245 1988 2.0

[philip.hurst]

We have a 1988 240 GL Estate with 230,000 miles on the clock. Just run-in then!

The rear end of the car is now sagging especially when even a small/light load is in the boot. I'm guessing that a new set of coil springs should sort it out.

Does anyone have any thoughts on this as some input would be appreciated.


Philip Hurst

C70 T5 GT and 240 GL Estate

[Clifford Pope]

I've been down this road, only at 270,000 miles. Like you I assumed new springs would fix it, but they didn't.
I later found it was the reaction arm bushes. There are 2 rods, one each side, connecting lugs on the axle to the chassis. The bushes perish and disintegrate, and in due course the back end clonks and bangs. But before that stage the bushes can simply distort, and that lets the axle rotate a fraction on its main bushes and so the suspension sags.
Of course these bushes may be worn too, but in 6 cars I have never found any bad ones, only the reaction arm bushes.
As long as the bolts are not seized up it is quite easy to remove the rods. There is a special tool for pulling out the old bushes and pressing in new (about £5 each from Europart) or you need a profesional press, but I have found it fairly easy to do it myself.
Hack out the old rubber, help with a blowlamp if necessary, then carefully hacksaw a slit along the inside of the metal bush. Then you can tap out the old shell. Clean up any rough edges, emery the surfaces smooth, and press in using a heavy vice. You need some kind of spacer like a large socket or section of sawn off pipe, so that you press on the steel shell not the rubber.
Put the thicker rubber sections in line with the rod.

When reassembling you will find the holes won't line up to get the bolts back in. Put a jack under the brake caliper and carefully apply lift until the axle rotates forward just enough to align the holes.

It MAY be the springs, but check everything else first. I've a collection of old springs, all perfectly good and needlessly replaced!

Good luck.